Week 23: Twenty-six miles

8:01 hours, 1:3 minute run/walk ratio

I did my 26 miles! And it was a pretty good run, all things considered.

As planned, I did eight miles around the house, then ran ten miles to Meadowbrook Park and did another eight miles around the trail there.

I made four stops, which are included in my time. One at about five or six miles to go to the bathroom, then another at eight miles to refill my water bottle and drink some soy milk and orange juice before heading on down the road. Then, I stopped at about 17 miles, when I reached the Chevron station at Valley and Golden Hills Blvd. to buy a 20-oz Coke, which I drank over the next two miles, and at 18 miles when I reached the park to use the rest room and fill up my water bottle again.

I may regret drinking all that Coke tonight and tomorrow, but it sure did make the run easier! Nothing like a big jolt of sugar and caffeine to keep my energy up! I got tired, and slow, but was able to keep going with my run intervals all the way to the end, and outside of some stiffness and sore shoulders, and a blister on my right little toe, I have no big aches and pains afterwards.

I also ate two GUs along the way. I have about six left, which should get me through the marathon. I also need to figure out something to bring along to eat or drink. Maybe I can bring a small bottle of soy milk and orange juice in my waist pack. I think I'll use the one with the bigger pockets for marathon, so I can put my handkerchief and camera and phone and everything in it. I was going to bring my camera along with me today, but I got tired of carrying it and left it home.

I also think I'll use my Shox 2.45s for the marathon. I wore my newest Nikes today, but they're not as comfortable as the old 2.45s. I think the new ones make my little toe blister.

I had a few difficult patches. Running up Valley was very tiring, and I ended up walking about the last half of mile 17. I resumed my running intervals after I'd stopped for the Coke, and was able to keep up after that. I felt that I was going very slowly all the way along. Which, really, was as it should be. Our coaches for the AIDS Marathon always told us to slow down on the long runs, and do them 2 minutes/mile slower than our usual pace. I averaged about 18.5 minute miles, so that's about right. Actually, I could have even gone slower, considering that I'm averaging 17 minute miles on the shorter runs. Anyway, it all went as it should, and now I'm done with long runs until the marathon, which is in only three weeks now! Two more eight-mile runs, and then I'll be in Honolulu.